At Cabinet Outreach in Region Three…
–    says there are ‘too many little gods in many public institutions who act like they are doing favours when they have to deliver service to the public’
–     warned that they are being paid to serve and would be held accountable. THE original name for Tuschen is Tuschen De Vrienden, which means ‘Between the Friends’, and the rapport and interactions shared between President Bharrat Jagdeo and the residents of Region Three yesterday afternoon at the Head of the Tuschen New Housing Scheme, subsequent to the formal meeting scheduled at 17:00h, was more a dialogue between friends who could simultaneously build bridges, social and physical infrastructure, and a nation.
Thousands converged on him as he made himself absolutely accessible to the people and he found himself hard-pressed to emerge from the crowd of admirers who wanted to shake his hand, hug or kiss him, with everyone congratulating him and wishing him well.
Yesterday, Government Ministers, led by the President, went into communities especially on the East Bank of Essequibo to meet with residents and attend to their concerns.
Beginning at 13:00 hrs, teams of ministers visited assigned communities, from Tuschen to Lookout, conducting meetings along the West Coast of Demerara and East Bank Essequibo.
Ministers Dr. Ashni Singh and Mrs. Pauline Sukhai visited Zeelugt; Mr. Irfaan Ali and Ms Priya Manickchand dealt with Tuschen New Scheme; Messrs Kellawan Lall and Odinga Lumumba visited Tuschen Old Scheme; Drs. Jennifer Westford and Nanda Gopaul went to Vergenoegen; Mr Manniram Prashad and Ms Jennifer Webster – Philadelphia; Mr. Shaik Baksh and Ms Gail Teixeira – Greenwich Park; Dr. Frank Anthony and Mrs. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett – Ruby/Good Hope; Dr. Roger Luncheon and Mr. Manzoor Nadir – Farm; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Mr. Clement Rohee – Parika Hydronie; Mr. Robert Persaud and Mr. Charles Ramson, SC – Parika Back; and Mr. Robeson Benn and Dr. Bheri Ramsaran- Hubu.
This third Cabinet Outreach for the year concluded at the Tuschen New Housing Scheme with a meeting, after which the President met with residents and promised that their concerns will be addressed by Cabinet, although some issues will be dealt with immediately, with others to be subsequently dealt with after investigations by the relevant bodies.
However, he said some issues are intractable and may be difficult to address with immediacy, although the Government is a sympathetic one.
One of the main planks of the administration’s developmental framework is its housing drive and, currently, under the dynamic young Minister Irfaan Ali, the East Bank corridor will be further expanded with an additional 10,000 houselots, which will be developed from the 2,000 acres of land recently acquired from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) by the Housing and Water Ministry.
Minister Ali has indicated that the acquisition of new lands is part of the Ministry’s efforts to accelerate the housing sector to make available 17,000 houselots over the next three years and meet the demands of citizens.
Recently the Ministry sought and obtained $4B for the expansion of the housing sector. “This investment is only part of the incremental investment that is needed, (because) to actualize the 10,000 houselots they will need a further $6B…to provide the necessary infrastructure to develop the lands to make it accessible and available to allottees, so this would be another investment that would be required,” the Minister said.
Minister Ali said to achieve this objective of meeting its targets and satisfy the demands; an assessment was conducted to determine the availability of land through negotiations with GuySuCo.
In addition, Minister Ali revealed that more than 1500 lots will be made available by year-end. This will include 2,000 lots in Region Three where the Ministry has secured financing under the Second Low Income Settlement Programme for the expansion of the Tuschen housing scheme.
Driving around the Old Tuschen Housing Scheme, the driver gave a couple of women a lift, and throughout they could not stop enthusing about the security they were now enjoying, now owning  transported properties as opposed to squatting fearfully on State lands as obtained before.
The Old Tuschen Housing Scheme was once squatters’ settlements that the Government had regularized, empowering the residents both financially and socially.  They say that, although they have not yet received telephone services, they have passable roads, good water supply and electricity.
The Chronicle team covering the Cabinet Outreach then drove around the New Tuschen Housing Scheme, where work in progress was observed on many properties, indicating a transformative dynamic that is catalyzing the housing drive into unstoppable momentum.
Granted, there are problems, but the solutions are forthcoming, not necessarily all at once, but certainly in tranches as national resources allow.
One instance of exciting development in the new community is the new school that would be opened from September.  One resident named Bibi said that her two children attend Zeelugt Primary and De Kendren Nursery and that the school in their community would save her $1,400 per day in transportation costs and save her children the fatigue and danger of travelling every day.
They expressed concerns about security because of overgrown houselots that have not been utilized by allottees and expressed a desire for police patrols and/or a police outpost in their community; otherwise they are exultant about finally owning their own homes and having that security for their children, as are many persons to whom Chronicle spoke.
At the meeting, prior to the President’s address, PPP/C General-Secretary, Mr. Donald Ramotar, spoke about the hard times when most of one’s income went to house rent in very uncomfortable apartments and under depressing conditions, where many members of one family shared small living spaces, oftentimes with severe social consequences.
Mr. Ramotar said it is the quality of leadership and not the amount of resources that determines developmental trends and that the PPP/C Government’s investment in the people in the country is now beginning to pay off.
Ms. Gail Teixeira, an old campaigner, said that Guyana’s is the only Government in CARICOM that reaches out on this level to the people of the country, which is practicing democracy and inclusive governance.  Minister Priya Manickchand supported her assertions and said that the strength of the PPP Government lies in its motto, which is “Service to the People.”
She said that these outreaches are meant for the people to “…give us your hope and we will take care of you the best way we can”.
She then enumerated some of the achievements of her Ministry that have enhanced the social dynamics of the country.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said that, although the people of Parika wish for many things, building the world we think about – this new Guyana, depended on the involvement of everyone in facing the challenges and the task.
He says that he is excited about the extant challenges and possibilities to expand growth and development in the country and wished that he was still twenty years old that he could enjoy this dynamic thrust to the fullest.
He alluded to the investments Government is making to strengthen the traditional industries to catalyse major transformation which present challenges of new and emerging situations that parallel growth and development.
President Jagdeo, in his address, once more stressed the need for accountability in every sector of governance.  Alluding to
the constant criticisms of the opposition of corruption every time the Auditor General’s Report is presented, the President reminded the audience that it was the PPP/C administration that is responsible for empowering the Audit Office so that the nation’s accounts can be audited every year, which never happened prior to the PPP/C assuming the Executive Office.
The President assured that accountability is an essential feature of the Government and Party to which he belongs.
The President, who obviously empathises with the struggles for financial and social security waged by Guyanese from every strata of society, applauded the people for the heroic efforts that they make to improve their lives and consequently develop the country.
Recollecting the days when the people’s dignity was not recognized and they had no choices nor a voice, where their ballot was hijacked and the future of the nation’s children was constrained and compromised, the President said that it was because of the people’s collective struggles that Guyana is today free to pursue goals and adjured the people that never again should this nation allow a return to those days, which should be a contract between the people and their Government.
He said that freedom to make choices is the only pathway.
Referring to the complete devastation in the nation’s economy, infrastructure and morale when the PPP/C took office, the President drew parallels between running a household and a country with income earned already earmarked for debt – not repayment, but servicing; because for a long time, instead of accumulated wealth in the nation there was instead de-cumulated wealth, which left many problems for the next generation and has drastically impeded the development of this nation.
To loud applause, the President informed that today Guyana has achieved the second highest growth rate in all the Americas, and the highest in South America and is now ranked with middle-income status.
He said that, from an inflation rate that exceeded 100%, for over ten years Guyana’s inflation rate has been in single digits, and went on to quote figures to authenticate this fact.
President Jagdeo encouraged the audience, that although it is not easy, to continue to work hard so that the nation – not the Government, but the people, continue to accumulate wealth.  He said that when they acquire a houselot, or a house; when they achieve a skill or an education, with increased earning power, all of these things translate to generation of wealth.
When someone works sincerely, unremittingly, to achieve and that achievement is denigrated by others consistently – it takes a toll on the human psyche, and even a President and Ministers of a government are human, with normal human reactions – and this continuum of negativity by the opposition was addressed by the President, who said that the huge, transformational changes in every part of the country that are enhancing the lives of the people are constantly being criticized by persons who purport to not see progress being made, always making statements to the effect that nothing is happening, despite the tremendous investments in infrastructure and human capital.
However, the President said they cannot wish away the housing schemes established on land that was once canefield.
He alluded to some of the many instances of scandalous misinformation and outright lies constantly being peddled by the opposition and their supporters in the private media.
Referring to some of the major changes, the President said that from a stage where only an approximate 35% of students had access to secondary education prior to 1992, today this has increased to an estimated 70%, which he is optimistic can reach a 100% target.  He went on to list some of the many developmental works in the pipeline for various communities, and the country as a whole.
However, he said there are too many little gods in many public institutions who act like they are doing favours when they have to deliver service to the public and warned that they are being paid to serve and would be held accountable.
He insists that there should be value for money and admitted that there are many instances of corruption for which the administration is being blamed.
President Jagdeo reiterated that Public Servants should be constrained to deliver better and more cost-effective services and should adhere to high standards for delivery of patient-care and financial accountability.
However, the President made allusion to the separation of powers between the administrative body, which he heads, the judiciary, and the legislative body, and stated that the administration is many times constrained from taking punitive actions even when there is blatant corruption, as in the Deeds Registry.  He expressed his disgust of the judiciary, which act in a slothful manner and oftentimes make “bizarre” and unusual judgements that cannot pass scrutiny in any other country.
He informed his audience that the Government has been even-handed in the distribution of national resources and in national developmental initiatives and listed some of the improvements planned for Tuschen and Region Three in general, which include the construction of a Technical Institute that would enable residents of Region Three to acquire life skills without needing to travel to the city.
On January 12, residents across Region Six, from New Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek, were visited by the chief officials of all Government ministries, as well as technical and support staff of the Guyana Water Incorporated, the Ministries of Agriculture, and Human Services and Social Security, and officers of the Guyana Police Force Traffic Division.
The process was undertaken again on May 22, in Region Ten, when President Jagdeo led ministers into the nine wards of Linden and hinterland communities, and Amerindian reservations, including Hururu, Great Falls and Rockstone, among others.
The Cabinet Outreach process is one that finds its genesis in Government’s commitment to facilitate an environment nationwide whereby all Guyanese – elected officials, teachers, parents and the community, work together in a holistic approach to ensure that every child can optimize his/her potential to the maximum, and to ensure that the people are benefitting from the inputs that Government has been making into developmental initiatives countrywide, with a view to enhancing and expanding services and programmes that would create synergies to promote the wellness and wellbeing of all Guyanese in equitable terms, irrespective of their social or financial status.
As Gail Teixeira explained, PPP outreaches have their genesis in the early years of struggle when meeting the people at “bottom houses”, where word of mouth communication was the only means of taking the freedom struggle to the various communities in the country.